Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2022, Kinesiology

Head and neck cancer (HNCa) is diagnosed in over 63,000 patients and accounts for approximately 13,000 deaths each year in the United States. HNCa patients report some of the lowest quality of life (QOL) compared to other cancer populations, due to the clinically meaningful deficits that are associated with the established standard of care. The established standard of care for locally advanced HNCa patients includes Chemoradiation therapy (CRT), which causes acute toxicity and contributes to declines in body mass index, muscle mass, and physical function due to treatment-induced sarcopenia, also known as cancer cachexia. Strategies to manage these treatment-related side effects are necessary to preserve muscle mass, physical function, and therefore QOL in patients with HNCa. Emerging evidence supports the utility of exercise, specifically RE, interventions in offsetting the adverse treatment effects on body composition and physical function as a result of CRT in HNCa patients. Despite the potential therapeutic benefits of RE for HNCa patients undergoing treatment: (a) RE is not currently integrated as part of routine cancer care for HNCa patients and (b) few studies have examined the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of integrating RE in the supportive care of HNCa patients undergoing active CRT; and (c) the limited extant research addressing RE interventions during HNCa treatment has yielded poor adherence rates which may undermine the utility of RE as a supportive care approach. Based on this evidence, the overarching research goal is to conduct studies that inform the importance of integrating exercise interventions as an integral component of routine cancer care. The primary aims of this pilot study were to: 1) determine the feasibility of implementing a group-mediated cognitive behavioral (GMCB) RE intervention in HNCa patients undergoing CRT and 2) examine the preliminary efficacy of the personalized, GMCB RE intervention for attenuating and/or reversing t (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Brian Focht (Advisor) Subjects: Kinesiology

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2019, Kinesiology

Community-based exercise programs are an integral aspect of systematic health promotion and disease prevention efforts. Access to community-based wellness programs have been shown to be valuable for enhancing the adoption and maintenance of physical activity (PA) and exercise among individuals with, or at risk for chronic disease. In this regard, cancer survivors consistently cite interest and perceived value in exercise and wellness programming and desire to engage in community-based wellness programs. Reports also reveal cancer survivors frequently experience both cancer and treatment-related barriers (fatigue, pain, other disease symptoms) and traditional barriers (lack of time, lack of access to facilities and/or appropriate fitness instructors, insufficient exercise/wellness knowledge, lack of motivation) as significant factors that impeded their interest and desire to resume regular physical activity and exercise participation. Although cancer patients and survivors perceived physical activity and exercise barriers have been consistently investigated, a comprehensive understanding of health and fitness professionals' perceptions of the barriers and enablers to offering programming that can meet the needs of this population has yet to be systematically explored. Qualitatively evaluating health and fitness professionals' perceptions of the barriers, enablers, benefits, and challenges of offering exercise programming for cancer survivors is critical to developing effective collaborations with key leaders and stakeholders necessary to successfully establish increased access to community-based exercise and wellness programming for cancer survivors. Objective: The primary objective of the proposed study is to investigate a more in-depth understanding of health and fitness professionals' perceptions of barriers and enablers to offering exercise programs for cancer survivors as part of the wellness programming available at their fitness/community centers in th (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Brian Focht (Advisor); Sue Sutherland (Committee Member) Subjects: Health; Kinesiology; Oncology

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2020, Kinesiology

Breast cancer survivors are a unique cancer population in that they are having success in treatment but are experiencing the negative side effects that various treatments cause, whether it be soon or very long after treatment. As a result of advances in treatment, less and less breast cancer survivors are dying from of their disease. Instead, their mortality is caused by the other conditions that they become at risk for from the treatment effects. Weight gain is an example of one of these side effects that is seen in breast cancer survivors that places these individuals at risk for poor cardiovascular and metabolic health. The combination of benefits seen from engagement in physical activity and dietary behavior change could lend itself to an optimal approach to mitigate the detrimental side effects that we see, especially weight gain. The lifestyle weight management literature in breast cancer survivors has shown that physical activity can be performed safely and effectively, and the inclusion of diet aids in further improvements in weight management. With the increased knowledge and community support for breast cancer survivor programming, assessing the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a community-based lifestyle weight management intervention will assist in addressing the lack of community access that currently exists for breast cancer survivors after their treatment. The purpose of this study is to determine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a community-based lifestyle weight management intervention in breast cancer survivors on select body composition, physical function, and quality of life outcomes during the first 3 months of the first wave of the Healthy New Albany Breast Cancer (HNABC) pilot trial. The 24-week, HNABC study is held at a community center and promotes lifestyle behavior changes through a group-mediated cognitive behavioral (GMCB) approach driven by Social Cognitive Theory, in hopes of producing meaningful results for feasibili (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Brian Focht (Advisor); Maryam Lustberg (Committee Member) Subjects: Behavioral Sciences; Behaviorial Sciences; Cognitive Therapy; Health Sciences; Kinesiology; Nutrition; Oncology